Improvement in water-wheels



' UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

JASON A. ALLEN AND ALANSON ALLEN, OE OAKHAM. MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT lN-WATER-WH EELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 48,781, dated July 18,1865.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JASON A. ALLEN and ALANSON ALLEN, of Oakham, in thecounty of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Turbine or Horizontal Water-Vheels; andwe do hereby declare that thefollowing is afull, clear, and exactdescription ofthe construction and operation of the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents ahorizontal section through said water-wheel. Fig. L). represents avertical central section through the same. Figs. 3 and 4 representdetached views, hereinafter to be referred to.

A represents the shell or case of the wheel, which is supported on thestandards B.

C represents the horizontal water wheel, which has vertical flanges orbuckets a, of the usual construction,upon which the water in the case Aacts, and which, being a well-known operation, is not necessary todescribe. The wheel() is keyed on and supported by its centershaft,D,whose step E is supported by the box F of the supporting-frame.

H represents the hub of the wheel. It is secured to the center shaft bymeans of a key. The position of this wheel has to be well adjusted uponits center shaft to operate well, and to enable the operator toaccomplish this With facility I use an adjustable collar, I, on theshaft I) and under the hub H. In securing, therefore, the wheel upon itsshaft the collar I is rst secured thereon in its proper position bymeans ofthe screw b, and the wheel is then let down upon the collar andsecured toits shaft by means of its key. By the application of .thiscollar many diiiculties and much labor are Obviated, as turbine wheelshave frequently to be looked after, chiefly in regard to the wearingdown of the step, and the setting and properly adj ustingof the wheelare in uch facilitated, and in case the wheel should need any repair itcan be raised on its shaft, can be supported in its raised position bythe collar I, and can be repaired Without removing it from its sha-ft.

To the lower side of the case A we secure, by means of bolt c, a rim, K.This rim has a vertical flange, d, on its inner circumference, whichextends into a corresponding groove, g, cut into a ange,j', on the lowerface of the wheel. The several tlan ges are so arranged that a space, L,is left on the inner side of the rim K, and lower side of the wheel C,into which the water is pressed through the space x with the force ofthe full head, and the column of water thus exerts a pressure upon thepart h ofthe lower wheel-face, thus to a great extent counterbalancingthe pressure of the wheel upon its step, and thus not only materiallyreducing the friction thereon, but avoiding the rapid wear of thesame,which has always caused so much trouble in the use of turbineWheels. The dange d extends a sufficient length into the groove g tomake a tight water-joint. It also has the advantage of retaining` thewheel in its position should pieces of wood, Src., enter the wheel,whichfrequently throw it from its step if supported and held in its positionby said step only. We make the groove g of sufficient depth to allow forthe Wearing down ofthe step E, so that there will be space for theflange or rim to enter should the step wear down about one inch. l Ifthe flange d should wear down in use, the rim K can be detached andreplaced by a new one.

M represents the neck of the wheel-case A,

and N the gate-box. We provide the latter at each of its ends withflanges m, by means of which it can be easily secured to the fiume andto the case-neck M.

O represents the gate. To obtain a nice it of the gate upon its seat wemake the gate-seat P in a separate piece. (Represented in a perspectiveview at Fig. 4, and in sections at Figs. 1 and 3.) The sides of saidgate-seat are made flaring or tapering, and are made to titnicely iutothe recess in the gate-box. The upper side of the gate-seat we providewith two lugs or projections, n, which are fitted against the inner faceof the gate-box, and prevent the gate-seat from being pressed into itsrecess beyond a certain depth. By making the gateseat in a separatepiece, as herein described, we are enabled to plane the faces on whichthe gate O slides very accurately and with great facility, whichotherwise would be a difficult job, and we obtain atight tof the gate.Should the gate-seat become leaky by use, it can easily beremoved andreplaced. By making the sides of the gate-seat flaring it can be driventightly into the gate-box,where itwill remain Without the aid of otherfasteniugs.

To prevent any water from escaping from the Wheel upward, We use thedome Q, whose circumference is secured to the upper face ot' the case A,and which adds steadiness to the center shaft, the latter passingthrough the bearing p ot' said dome.

Z represents a couplingboxmhich is secured to the upper end of thewheel-shaft D by means of the screws z, or otherwise. It is used forconnecting another length ot' a shaft, Y, to the wheel-shaft.Notconstitutingpartofthispresent invention, a detailed descriptionthereof` is not deemed necessary.

Having thus fully described the nature ot' our invention, what We claimherein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patentpis- 1. Providingthe lower side the wheel-case with a anged rim, K, for the purpose ofcaus-

